Method and system for providing fuel in a nuclear reactor

ABSTRACT

Exemplary embodiments provide automated nuclear fission reactors and methods for their operation. Exemplary embodiments and aspects include, without limitation, re-use of nuclear fission fuel, alternate fuels and fuel geometries, modular fuel cores, fast fluid cooling, variable burn-up, programmable nuclear thermostats, fast flux irradiation, temperature-driven surface area/volume ratio neutron absorption, low coolant temperature cores, refueling, and the like.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/605,848, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING FUEL IN A NUCLEARREACTOR, naming Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Nathan P.Myhrvold, and Lowell L. Wood, Jr., as inventors, filed 28 Nov. 2006,which is currently co-pending, or is an application of which a currentlyco-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Related Applications”) (e.g., claims earliestavailable priority dates for other than provisional patent applicationsor claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e) for provisional patentapplications, for any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of the Related Application(s)). All subject matter ofthe Related Applications and of any and all parent, grandparent,great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Applications isincorporated herein by reference to the extent such subject matter isnot inconsistent herewith.

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation or continuation-in-part. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit ofPrior-Filed Application, USPTO Official Gazette Mar. 18, 2003, availableat http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/og/2003/week11/patbene.htm.The present Applicant Entity (hereinafter “Applicant”) has providedabove a specific reference to the application(s) from which priority isbeing claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understands that thestatute is unambiguous in its specific reference language and does notrequire either a serial number or any characterization, such as“continuation” or “continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S.patent applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicantunderstands that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Applicant is designating the present applicationas a continuation-in-part of its parent applications as set forth above,but expressly points out that such designations are not to be construedin any way as any type of commentary and/or admission as to whether ornot the present application contains any new matter in addition to thematter of its parent application(s).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to nuclear reactors, and systems,applications, and apparatuses related thereto.

SUMMARY

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described andillustrated in conjunction with systems and methods which are meant tobe exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope.

Exemplary embodiments provide automated nuclear fission reactors andmethods for their operation. Exemplary embodiments and aspects include,without limitation, re-use of nuclear fission fuel, alternate fuels andfuel geometries, modular fuel cores, fast fluid cooling, variableburn-up, programmable nuclear thermostats, fast flux irradiation,temperature-driven neutron absorption, low coolant temperature cores,refueling, and the like.

In addition to the exemplary embodiments and aspects described above,further embodiments and aspects will become apparent by reference to thedrawings and by study of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of thedrawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosedherein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

FIG. 1A schematically illustrates an exemplary nuclear fission reactor;

FIGS. 1B and 1C plot cross-section versus neutron energy;

FIGS. 1D through 1H illustrate relative concentrations during times atoperation of a nuclear fission reactor at power;

FIGS. 1I and 1J schematically illustrate an exemplary nuclear fissionreactor core assembly;

FIGS. 2A through 2C schematically illustrate exemplary nuclear fissionfuel assemblies;

FIGS. 3A through 3D schematically illustrate exemplary nuclear fissionfuel geometries;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates exemplary non-contiguous nuclearfission fuel material;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an exemplary modular nuclear fissionfuel core;

FIGS. 6A through 6C schematically illustrate an exemplary modularnuclear fission facility;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates exemplary fast fluid cooling;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates exemplary variable burn-up of nuclearfission fuel;

FIG. 9A schematically illustrates exemplary programmable thermostatingof nuclear fission fuel;

FIG. 9B plots operating temperature profiles;

FIGS. 10A and 10B schematically illustrate exemplary nuclear irradiationof material;

FIGS. 11A through 11C schematically illustrate exemplary temperaturecontrol of nuclear reactivity;

FIG. 12 schematically illustrates an exemplary low-coolant-temperaturenuclear fission reactor;

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates exemplary removal of nuclear fissionfuel; and

FIGS. 14A and 14B schematically illustrate exemplary re-propagation of anuclear fission deflagration wave.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

By way of overview, embodiments provide automated nuclear fissionreactors and methods for their operation. Details of an exemplaryreactor, exemplary core nucleonics, and operations, all given by way ofnon-limiting example, will be set forth first. Then, details will be setforth regarding several exemplary embodiments and aspects, such aswithout limitation re-use of nuclear fission fuel, alternate fuels andfuel geometries, modular fuel cores, fast fluid cooling, variableburn-up, programmable nuclear thermostats, fast flux irradiation,temperature-driven neutron absorption, low coolant temperature cores,refueling, and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 1A, a nuclear fission reactor 10, given by way ofexample and not of limitation, acts as an exemplary host environment forembodiments and aspects described herein. While many embodiments of thereactor 10 are contemplated, a common feature among many contemplatedembodiments of the reactor 10 is origination and propagation of anuclear fission deflagration wave, or “burnfront”.

Considerations

Before discussing details of the reactor 10, some considerations behindembodiments of the reactor 10 will be given by way of overview but arenot to be interpreted as limitations. Some embodiments of the reactor 10reflect attainment of all of the considerations discussed below. On theother hand, some other embodiments of the reactor 10 reflect attainmentof selected considerations, and need not accommodate all of theconsiderations discussed below. Portions of the following discussionincludes information excerpted from a paper entitled “CompletelyAutomated Nuclear Power Reactors For Long-Term Operation: III. EnablingTechnology For Large-Scale, Low-Risk, Affordable Nuclear Electricity” byEdward Teller, Muriel Ishikawa, Lowell Wood, Roderick Hyde, and JohnNuckolls, “PRESENTED AT the July 2003 Workshop of the Aspen GlobalChange Institute”, University of California Lawrence Livermore NationalLaboratory publication UCRL-JRNL-122708 (2003). (This paper was preparedfor submittal to Energy, The International Journal, 30 Nov. 2003.) theentire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Nuclear fission fuels envisioned for use in embodiments of the reactor10 are typically widely available, such as without limitation uranium(natural, depleted, or enriched), thorium, plutonium, or evenpreviously-burned nuclear fission fuel assemblies. Other, less widelyavailable nuclear fission fuels, such as without limitation otheractinide elements or isotopes thereof may be used in embodiments of thereactor 10. While embodiments of the reactor 10 contemplate long-termoperation at full power on the order of around ⅓ century to around ½century or longer, an aspect of some embodiments of the reactor 10 doesnot contemplate nuclear refueling (but instead contemplate burialin-place at ends-of-life) while some aspects of embodiments of thereactor 10 contemplate nuclear refueling—with some nuclear refuelingoccurring during shutdown and some nuclear refueling occurring duringoperation at power. It is also contemplated that nuclear fission fuelreprocessing may be avoided, thereby mitigating possibilities fordiversion to military uses and other issues.

Other considerations behind embodiments of the reactor 10 includedisposing in a manifestly safe manner long-lived radioactivity generatedin the course of operation. It is envisioned that the reactor 10 may beable to mitigate damage due to operator error, casualties such as a lossof coolant accident (LOCA), or the like. In some aspects decommissioningmay be effected in low-risk and inexpensive manner.

As a result, some embodiments of the reactor 10 may entail undergroundsiting, thereby addressing large, abrupt releases and small,steady-state releases of radioactivity into the biosphere. Someembodiments of the reactor 10 may entail minimizing operator controls,thereby automating those embodiments as much as practicable. In someembodiments, a life-cycle-oriented design is contemplated, wherein thoseembodiments of the reactor 10 can operate from startup to shutdown atend-of-life in as fully-automatic manner as practicable. Someembodiments of the reactor 10 lend themselves to modularizedconstruction. Finally, some embodiments of the reactor 10 may bedesigned according to high power density.

Some features of various embodiments of the reactor 10 result from someof the above considerations. For example, simultaneously accommodatingdesires to achieve ⅓-½ century (or longer) of operations at full powerwithout nuclear refueling and to avoid nuclear fission fuel reprocessingentails use of a fast neutron spectrum. As another example, in someembodiments a negative temperature coefficient of reactivity (α_(T)) isengineered-in to the reactor 10, such as via negative feedback on localreactivity implemented with strong absorbers of fast neutrons. As afurther example, in some embodiments of the reactor 10 a distributedthermostat enables a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave modeof nuclear fission fuel burn. This mode simultaneously permits a highaverage burn-up of non-enriched actinide fuels, such as natural uraniumor thorium, and use of a comparatively small “nuclear fission igniter”region of moderate isotopic enrichment of nuclear fissionable materialsin the core's fuel charge. As another example, in some embodiments ofthe reactor 10, multiple redundancy is provided in primary and secondarycore cooling.

Exemplary Embodiment of Nuclear Fission Reactor

Now that some of the considerations behind some of the embodiments ofthe reactor 10 have been set forth, further details regarding anexemplary embodiment of the reactor 10 will be explained. It isemphasized that the following description of an exemplary embodiment ofthe reactor 10 is given by way of non-limiting example only and not byway of limitation. As mentioned above, several embodiments of thereactor 10 are contemplated, as well as further aspects of the reactor10. After details regarding an exemplary embodiment of the reactor 10are discussed, other embodiments and aspects will also be discussed.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, an exemplary embodiment of the reactor 10includes a nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 that is disposedwithin a reactor pressure vessel 12. Several embodiments and aspects ofthe nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 are contemplated that willbe discussed later. Some of the features that will be discussed later indetail regarding the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 includenuclear fission fuel materials and their respective nucleonics, fuelassemblies, fuel geometries, and initiation and propagation of nuclearfission deflagration waves.

The reactor pressure vessel 12 suitably is any acceptable pressurevessel known in the art and may be made from any materials acceptablefor use in reactor pressure vessels, such as without limitationstainless steel. Within the reactor pressure vessel 12, a neutronreflector (not shown) and a radiation shield (not shown) surround thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100. In some embodiments, thereactor pressure vessel 12 is sited underground. In such cases, thereactor pressure vessel 12 can also function as a burial cask for thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100. In these embodiments, thereactor pressure vessel 12 suitably is surrounded by a region (notshown) of isolation material, such as dry sand, for long-termenvironmental isolation. The region (not shown) of isolation materialmay have a size of around 100 m in diameter or so. However, in otherembodiments, the reactor pressure vessel 12 is sited on or toward theEarth's surface.

Reactor coolant loops 14 transfer heat from nuclear fission in thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 to application heat exchangers16. The reactor coolant may be selected as desired for a particularapplication. In some embodiments, the reactor coolant suitably is helium(He) gas. In other embodiments, the reactor coolant suitably may beother pressurized inert gases, such as neon, argon, krypton, xenon, orother fluids such as water or gaseous or superfluidic carbon dioxide, orliquid metals, such as sodium or lead, or metal alloys, such as Pb—Bi,or organic coolants, such as polyphenyls, or fluorocarbons. The reactorcoolant loops suitably may be made from tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W),aluminum (Al), steel or other ferrous or non-iron groups alloys ortitanium or zirconium-based alloys, or from other metals and alloys, orfrom other structural materials or composites, as desired.

In some embodiments, the application heat exchangers 16 may be steamgenerators that generate steam that is provided as a prime mover forrotating machinery, such as electrical turbine-generators 18 within anelectrical generating station 20. In such a case, the nuclear fissionreactor core assembly 100 suitably operates at a high operating pressureand temperature, such as above 1,000K or so and the steam generated inthe steam generator may be superheated steam. In other embodiments, theapplication heat exchanger 16 may be any steam generator that generatessteam at lower pressures and temperatures (that is, need not be notsuperheated steam) and the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100operates at temperatures less than around 550K. In these cases, theapplication heat exchangers 16 may provide process heat for applicationssuch as desalination plants for seawater or for processing biomass bydistillation into ethanol, or the like.

Optional reactor coolant pumps 22 circulate reactor coolant through thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 and the application heatexchangers 16. Note that although the illustrative embodiment showspumps and gravitationally driven circulation, other approaches may notutilize pumps, or circulatory structures or be otherwise similarlygeometrically limited. The reactor coolant pumps 22 suitably areprovided when the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 is sitedapproximately vertically coplanar with the application heat exchangers16, such that thermal driving head is not generated. The reactor coolantpumps 22 may also be provided when the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 is sited underground. However, when the nuclear fissionreactor core assembly 100 is sited underground or in any fashion so thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 is vertically spaced below theapplication heat exchangers 16, thermal driving head may be developedbetween the reactor coolant exiting the reactor pressure vessel 12 andthe reactor coolant exiting the application heat exchangers 16 at alower temperature than the reactor coolant exiting the reactor pressurevessel 12. When sufficient thermal driving head exists, the reactorcoolant pumps 22 need not be provided in order to provide sufficientcirculation of reactor coolant through the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 to remove heat from fission during operation at power.

In some embodiments more than one reactor coolant loop 14 may beprovided, thereby providing redundancy in the event of a casualty, suchas a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) or a loss of flow accident (LOFA)or a primary-to-secondary leak or the like, to any one of the otherreactor coolant loops 14. Each reactor coolant loop 14 is typicallyrated for full-power operation, though some applications may remove thisconstraint.

In some embodiments, one-time closures 24, such as reactor coolantshutoff valves, are provided in lines of the reactor coolant system 14.In each reactor coolant loop 14 provided, a closure 24 is provided in anoutlet line from the reactor pressure vessel 12 and in a return line tothe reactor pressure vessel 12 from an outlet of the application heatexchanger 16. The one-time closures 24 are fast-acting closures thatshut quickly under emergency conditions, such as detection ofsignificant fission-product entrainment in reactor coolant). Theone-time closures 24 are provided in addition to a redundant system ofautomatically-actuated conventional valves (not shown).

Heat-dump heat exchangers 26 are provided for removal of after-life heat(decay heat). The heat-dump heat exchanger 26 includes a primary loopthat is configured to circulate decay heat removal coolant through thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100. The heat-dump heat exchanger26 includes a secondary loop that is coupled to an engineered heat-dumpheat pipe network (not shown). In some situations, for example, forredundancy purposes, more than one the heat-dump heat exchanger 26 maybe provided. Each of the heat-dump heat exchangers 26 provided may besited at a vertical distance above the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 so sufficient thermal driving head is provided to enablenatural flow of decay heat removal coolant without need for decay heatremoval coolant pumps. However, in some embodiments decay heat removalpumps (not shown) may be provided or, if provided, the reactor coolantpumps may be used for decay heat removal, where appropriate.

Now that an overview of an exemplary embodiment of the reactor 10 hasbeen given, other embodiments and aspects will be discussed. First,embodiments and aspects of the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100will be discussed. An overview of the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 and its nucleonics and propagation of a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave will be set forth first, followed by descriptions ofexemplary embodiments and other aspects of the nuclear fission reactorcore assembly 100.

Given by way of overview and in general terms, structural components ofthe reactor core assembly 100 may be made of tantalum (Ta), tungsten(W), rhenium (Re), or carbon composite, ceramics, or the like. Thesematerials are suitable because of the high temperatures at which thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 operates, and because of theircreep resistance over the envisioned lifetime of full power operation,mechanical workability, and corrosion resistance. Structural componentscan be made from single materials, or from combinations of materials(e.g., coatings, alloys, multilayers, composites, and the like). In someembodiments, the reactor core assembly 100 operates at sufficientlylower temperatures so that other materials, such as aluminum (Al),steel, titanium (Ti) or the like can be used, alone or in combinations,for structural components.

The nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 includes a small nuclearfission igniter and a larger nuclear fission deflagrationburn-wave-propagating region. The nuclear fission deflagrationburn-wave-propagating region suitably contains thorium or uranium fuel,and functions on the general principle of fast neutron spectrum fissionbreeding. In some embodiments, uniform temperature throughout thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 is maintained by thermostatingmodules, described in detail later, which regulate local neutron fluxand thereby control local power production.

The nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 suitably is a breeder forreasons of efficient nuclear fission fuel utilization and ofminimization of requirements for isotopic enrichment. Further, andreferring now to FIGS. 1B and 1C, the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 suitably utilizes a fast neutron spectrum because the highabsorption cross-section of fission products for thermal neutrons doesnot permit utilization of more than about 1% of thorium or of the moreabundant uranium isotope, U²³⁸, in uranium-fueled embodiments, withoutremoval of fission products.

In FIG. 1B, cross-sections for the dominant neutron-driven nuclearreactions of interest for the Th²³²-fueled embodiments are plotted overthe neutron energy range 10⁻³-10⁷ eV. It can be seen that losses toradiative capture on fission product nuclei dominate neutron economiesat near-thermal (˜0.1 eV) energies, but are comparatively negligibleabove the resonance capture region (between ˜3-300 eV). Thus, operatingwith a fast neutron spectrum when attempting to realize a high-gainfertile-to-fissile breeder can help to preclude fuel recycling (that is,periodic or continuous removal of fission products). The radiativecapture cross-sections for fission products shown are those forintermediate-Z nuclei resulting from fast neutron-induced fission thathave undergone subsequent beta-decay to negligible extents. Those in thecentral portions of the burn-waves of embodiments of the nuclear fissionreactor core assembly 100 will have undergone some decay and thus willhave somewhat higher neutron avidity. However, parameter studies haveindicated that core fuel-burning results may be insensitive to theprecise degree of such decay.

In FIG. 1C, cross-sections for the dominant neutron-driven nuclearreactions of primary interest for the Th²³²-fueled embodiments areplotted over the most interesting portion of the neutron energy range,between >10⁴ and <10^(6.5) eV, in the upper portion of FIG. 1C. Theneutron spectrum of embodiments of the reactor 10 peaks in the ≧10⁵ eVneutron energy region. The lower portion of FIG. 1C contains the ratioof these cross-sections vs. neutron energy to the cross-section forneutron radiative capture on Th²³², the fertile-to-fissile breeding step(as the resulting Th²³³ swiftly beta-decays to Pa²³³, which thenrelatively slowly beta-decays to U²³³, analogously to theU²³⁹-Np²³⁹-Pu²³⁹ beta decay-chain upon neutron capture by U²³⁸).

It can be seen that losses to radiative capture on fission products arecomparatively negligible over the neutron energy range of interest, andfurthermore that atom-fractions of a few tens of percent ofhigh-performance structural material, such as Ta, will impose tolerableloads on the neutron economy in the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100. These data also suggest that core-averaged fuel burn-up inexcess of 50% can be realizable, and that fission product-to-fissileatom-ratios behind the nuclear fission deflagration wave when reactivityis finally driven negative by fission-product accumulation will beapproximately 10:1.

Origination and Propagation of Nuclear Fission Deflagration waveBurnfront

The nuclear fission deflagration wave within the nuclear fission reactorcore assembly 100 will now be explained. Propagation of deflagrationburning-waves through combustible materials can release power at apredictable level. Moreover, if the material configuration has therequisite time-invariant features, the ensuing power production may beat a steady level. Finally, if deflagration wave propagation-speed maybe externally modulated in a practical manner, the energy release-rateand thus power production may be controlled as desired.

For several reasons, steady-state nuclear fission detonation waves arenot generally appropriate for power production, such as for electricalpower generation and the like. Further, nuclear fission deflagrationwaves are rare in nature, due to having to prevent the initial nuclearfission fuel configuration from disassembling as a hydrodynamicconsequence of energy release during the earliest phases of wavepropagation.

However, in embodiments of the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100a nuclear fission deflagration wave can be initiated and propagated in asub-sonic manner in fissionable fuel whose pressure is substantiallyindependent of its temperature, so that its hydrodynamics issubstantially ‘clamped’. The nuclear fission deflagration wave'spropagation speed within the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100can be controlled in a manner conducive to large-scale civilian powergeneration, such as in an electricity-producing reactor system likeembodiments of the reactor 10.

Nucleonics of the nuclear fission deflagration wave are explained below.Inducing nuclear fission of selected isotopes of the actinideelements—the fissile ones—by capture of neutrons of any energy permitsthe release of nuclear binding energy at any material temperature,including arbitrarily low ones. Release of more than a single neutronper neutron captured, on the average, by nuclear fission ofsubstantially any actinide isotope admits the possibility-in-principleof a diverging neutron-mediated nuclear-fission chain reaction in suchmaterials. Release of more than two neutrons for every neutron which iscaptured (over certain neutron-energy ranges, on the average) by nuclearfission by some actinide isotopes admits the possibility-in-principle offirst converting an atom of a non-fissile isotope to a fissile one (vianeutron capture and subsequent beta-decay) by an initial neutroncapture, and then of neutron-fissioning the nucleus of the newly-createdfissile isotope in the course of a second neutron capture.

Most really high-Z (Z≧90) nuclear species can be combusted if, on theaverage, one neutron from a given nuclear fission event can beradiatively captured on a non-fissile-but-‘fertile’ nucleus which willthen convert (such as via beta-decay) into a fissile nucleus and asecond neutron from the same fission event can be captured on a fissilenucleus and, thereby, induce fission. In particular, if either of thesearrangements is steady-state, then sufficient conditions for propagatinga nuclear fission deflagration wave in the given material can besatisfied.

Due to beta-decay in the process of converting a fertile nucleus to afissile nucleus, the characteristic speed of wave advance is of theorder of the ratio of the distance traveled by a neutron from itsfission-birth to its radiative capture on a fertile nucleus to thehalf-life of the (longest-lived nucleus in the chain of) beta-decayleading from the fertile nucleus to the fissile one. Since such acharacteristic fission neutron-transport distance in normal-densityactinides is approximately 10 cm and the beta-decay half-life is 10⁵-10⁶seconds for most cases of interest, the characteristic wave-speed is10⁻⁴-10⁻⁷ cm sec⁻¹, or 10⁻¹³-10⁻¹⁴ of that of a nuclear detonation wave.Such a “glacial” speed-of-advance makes clear that the wave is that of adeflagration wave, not of a detonation wave.

The deflagration wave propagates not only very slowly but very stably.If such a wave attempts to accelerate, its leading-edge countersever-more-pure fertile material (which is quite lossy in a neutronicsense), for the concentration of fissile nuclei well ahead of the centerof the wave becomes exponentially low, and thus the wave's leading-edge(referred to herein as a “burnfront”) stalls. Conversely, if the waveslows, however, the local concentration of fissile nuclei arising fromcontinuing beta-decay increases, the local rates of fission and neutronproduction rise, and the wave's leading-edge, that is the burnfront,accelerates.

Finally, if the heat associated with nuclear fission is removedsufficiently rapidly from all portions of the configuration of initiallyfertile matter in which the wave is propagating, the propagation maytake place at an arbitrarily low material temperature—although thetemperatures of both the neutrons and the fissioning nuclei may bearound 1 MeV.

Such conditions for initiating and propagating a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave can be realized with readily available materials.While fissile isotopes of actinide elements are rare terrestrially, bothabsolutely and relative to fertile isotopes of these elements, fissileisotopes can be concentrated, enriched and synthesized. The use of bothnaturally-occurring and man-made ones, such as U²³⁵ and Pu²³⁹,respectively, in initiating and propagating nuclear fission detonationwaves is well-known.

Consideration of pertinent neutron cross-sections (shown in FIGS. 1B and1C) suggests that a nuclear fission deflagration wave can burn a largefraction of a core of naturally-occurring actinides, such as Th²³² orU²³⁸, if the neutron spectrum in the wave is a ‘hard’ or ‘fast’ one.That is, if the neutrons which carry the chain reaction in the wave haveenergies which are not very small compared to the approximately 1 MeV atwhich they are evaporated from nascent fission fragments, thenrelatively large losses to the spacetime-local neutron economy can beavoided when the local mass-fraction of fission products becomescomparable to that of the fertile material (recalling that a single moleof fissile material fission-converts to two moles of fission-productnuclei). Even neutronic losses to typical neutron-reactor structuralmaterials, such as Ta, which has desirable high-temperature properties,may become substantial at neutron energies ≦0.1 MeV.

Another consideration is the (comparatively small) variation withincident neutron energy of the neutron multiplicity of fission, v, andthe fraction of all neutron capture events which result in fission(rather than merely γ-ray emission). The algebraic sign of the functionα(v−2) constitutes a necessary condition for the feasibility of nuclearfission deflagration wave propagation in fertile material compared withthe overall fissile isotopic mass budget, in the absence of neutronleakage from the core or parasitic absorptions (such as on fissionproducts) within its body, for each of the fissile isotopes of thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100. The algebraic sign isgenerally positive for all fissile isotopes of interest, from fissionneutron-energies of approximately 1 MeV down into the resonance captureregion.

The quantity α(v−2)/v upper-bounds the fraction of total fission-bornneutrons which may be lost to leakage, parasitic absorption, orgeometric divergence during deflagration wave propagation. It is notedthat this fraction is 0.15-0.30 for the major fissile isotopes over therange of neutron energies which prevails in all effectively unmoderatedactinide isotopic configurations of practical interest (approximately0.1-1.5 MeV). In contrast to the situation prevailing for neutrons of(epi-) thermal energy (see FIG. 1C), in which the parasitic losses dueto fission products dominate those of fertile-to-fissile conversion by1-1.5 decimal orders-of-magnitude, fissile element generation by captureon fertile isotopes is favored over fission-product capture by 0.7-1.5orders-of-magnitude over the neutron energy range 0.1-1.5 MeV. Theformer suggests that fertile-to-fissile conversion will be feasible onlyto the extent of 1.5-5% percent at-or-near thermal neutron energies,while the latter indicates that conversions in excess of 50% may beexpected for near-fission energy neutron spectra.

In considering conditions for propagation of a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave, neutron leakage may be effectively ignored for verylarge, “self-reflected” actinide configurations. Referring to FIG. 1Cand analytic estimates of the extent of neutron moderation-by-scatteringentirely on actinide nuclei, it will be appreciated that deflagrationwave propagation can be established in sufficiently large configurationsof the two types of actinides that are relatively abundantterrestrially: Th²³² and U²³⁸, the exclusive and the principal (that is,longest-lived) isotopic components of naturally-occurring thorium anduranium, respectively.

Specifically, transport of fission neutrons in these actinide isotopeswill likely result in either capture on a fertile isotopic nucleus orfission of a fissile one before neutron energy has decreasedsignificantly below 0.1 MeV (and thereupon becomes susceptible withnon-negligible likelihood to capture on a fission-product nucleus).Referring to FIG. 1B, it will be appreciated that fission product nucleiconcentrations must significantly exceed fertile ones and fissilenuclear concentrations may be an order-of-magnitude less than the lesserof fission-product or fertile ones before it becomes quantitativelyquestionable. Consideration of pertinent neutron scatteringcross-sections suggests that right circular cylindrical configurationsof actinides which are sufficiently extensive to be effectivelyinfinitely thick—that is, self-reflecting—to fission neutrons in theirradial dimension will have density-radius products >>200 gm/cm²—that is,they will have radii >>10-20 cm of solid-density U²³⁸-Th²³².

As an example, studies have indicated that circular cylinders ofsolid-density Th²³² of 25 cm radius, overcoated with an annular shell of15 cm of C¹² (as graphite), may propagate nuclear fission deflagrationwaves with ≧70% burn-up of the Th²³² initially present. Moreover,studies have indicated that replacing the Th²³² with half-density U²³⁸may yield similar results—albeit fertile isotope burn-up of ≧80% isrealized (as would be expected from inspection of FIG. 1C).

A basic condition on the ‘local’ geometry of the breeding-and-burningwave is that the flux history of neutrons excess to the local fissioningprocess in the core of the burn wave be quantitatively sufficient toat-least-reproduce the fissile atom density 1-2 mean-free-paths into theyet-unburned fuel, in a self-consistent sense. The ‘ash’ behind theburn-wave's peak is substantially ‘neutronically neutral’ in such anaccounting scheme, since the neutronic reactivity of its fissilefraction is just balanced by the parasitic absorptions of structure andfission product inventories on top of leakage. If the fissile atominventory in the wave's center and just in advance of it istime-stationary as the wave propagates, then it's doing so stably; ifless, then the wave is ‘dying’, while if more, the wave may be said tobe ‘accelerating.’

Thus, a nuclear fission deflagration wave may be propagated andmaintained in substantially steady-state conditions for long timeintervals in configurations of naturally-occurring actinide isotopes.

The above discussion has considered, by way of non-limiting example,circular cylinders of natural uranium or thorium metal of less than ameter or so diameter—and that may be substantially smaller in diameterif efficient neutron reflectors are employed—that may stably propagatenuclear fission deflagration waves for arbitrarily great axialdistances. However, propagation of nuclear fission deflagration waves isnot to be construed to be limited to circular cylinders, to symmetricgeometries, or to singly-connected geometries. To that end, additionalembodiments of alternate geometries of the nuclear fission reactor core100 will be described later.

Propagation of a nuclear fission deflagration wave has implications forembodiments of the nuclear fission reactor 10. As a first example, localmaterial temperature feedback can be imposed on the local nuclearreaction rate at an acceptable expense in the deflagration wave'sneutron economy. Such a large negative temperature coefficient ofneutronic reactivity confers an ability to control the speed-of-advanceof the deflagration wave. If very little thermal power is extracted fromthe burning fuel, its temperature rises and the temperature-dependentreactivity falls, and the nuclear fission rate at wave-center becomescorrespondingly small and the wave's equation-of-time reflects only avery small axial rate-of-advance. Similarly, if the thermal powerremoval rate is large, the material temperature decreases and theneutronic reactivity rises, the intra-wave neutron economy becomesrelatively undamped, and the wave advances axially relatively rapidly.Details regarding exemplary implementations of temperature feedbackwithin embodiments of the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 willbe discussed later.

As a second example of implications of propagation of a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave on embodiments of the nuclear fission reactor 10, lessthan all of the total fission neutron production in the nuclear fissionreactor 10 may be utilized. For example, the local material-temperaturethermostating modules may use around 5-10% of the total fission neutronproduction in the nuclear fission reactor 10. Another ≦10% of the totalfission neutron production in the nuclear fission reactor 10 may be lostto parasitic absorption in the relatively large quantities ofhigh-performance, high temperature, structure materials (such as Ta, W,or Re) employed in structural components of the nuclear fission reactor10. This loss occurs in order to realize ≧60% thermodynamic efficiencyin conversion to electricity and to gain high system safetyfigures-of-merit. The Zs of these materials, such as Ta, W and Re, areapproximately 80% of that of the actinides, and thus their radiativecapture cross-sections for high-energy neutrons are not particularlysmall compared to those of the actinides, as is indicated for Ta inFIGS. 1B and 1C. A final 5-10% of the total fission neutron productionin the nuclear fission reactor 10 may be lost to parasitic absorption infission products. As noted above, the neutron economy characteristicallyis sufficiently rich that approximately 0.7 of total fission neutronproduction is sufficient to sustain deflagration wave-propagation in theabsence of leakage and rapid geometric divergence. This is in sharpcontrast with (epi) thermal-neutron power reactors employinglow-enrichment fuel, for which neutron-economy discipline in design andoperation must be strict.

As a third example of implications of propagation of a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave on embodiments of the nuclear fission reactor 10, highburn-ups (on the order of around 50% to around 80%) of initial actinidefuel-inventories which are characteristic of the nuclear fissiondeflagration waves permit high-efficiency utilization of as-minedfuel—moreover without a requirement for reprocessing. Referring now toFIGS. 1D-1H, features of the fuel-charge of embodiments of the nuclearfission reactor core assembly 100 are depicted at four equi-spaced timesduring the operational life of the reactor after origination of thenuclear fission deflagration wave (sometimes referred to herein as“nuclear fission ignition”) in a scenario in which full reactor power iscontinuously demanded over a ⅓ century time-interval. In the embodimentshown, two nuclear fission deflagration wavefronts propagate from anorigination point 28 (near the center of the nuclear fission reactorcore assembly 100) toward ends of the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100. Corresponding positions of the leading edge of the nuclearfission deflagration wave-pair at various time-points after fullignition of the fuel-charge of the nuclear fission reactor core assembly100 are indicated in FIG. 1D. FIGS. 1E, 1F, 1G, and 1G illustrate masses(in kg of total mass per cm of axial core-length) of various isotopiccomponents in a set of representative near-axial zones and fuel specificpower (in W/g) at the indicated axial position as ordinate-values versusaxial position along an exemplary, non-limiting 10-meter-length of thefuel-charge as an abscissal value at approximate times after nuclearfission ignition of approximately 7.5 years, 15 years, 22.5 years, and30 years, respectively. The central perturbation is due to the presenceof the nuclear fission igniter module indicated by the origination point28 (FIG. 1D).

It will be noted that the neutron flux from the most intensely burningregion behind the burnfront breeds a fissile isotope-rich region at theburnfront's leading-edge, thereby serving to advance the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave. After the nuclear fission deflagration wave'sburnfront has swept over a given mass of fuel, the fissile atomconcentration continues to rise for as long as radiative capture ofneutrons on available fertile nuclei is considerably more likely than onfission product nuclei, while ongoing fission generates an ever-greatermass of fission products. Nuclear power-production density peaks in thisregion of the fuel-charge, at any given moment. It will also be notedthat in the illustrated embodiments, differing actions of two slightlydifferent types of thermostating units on the left and the right sidesof the igniter module account for the corresponding slightly differingpower production levels.

Still referring to FIGS. 1D-1H, it can be seen that well behind thenuclear fission deflagration wave's advancing burnfront, theconcentration ratio of fission product nuclei (whose mass closelyaverages half that of a fissile nucleus) to fissile ones climbs to avalue comparable to the ratio of the fissile fission to the fissionproduct radiative capture cross-sections (FIG. 1B), the “local neutronicreactivity” thereupon goes slightly negative, and both burning andbreeding effectively cease—as will be appreciated from comparing FIGS.1E, 1F, 1G, and 1H with each other, far behind the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave burnfront.

In some embodiments of the nuclear fission reactor 10, all the nuclearfission fuel ever used in the reactor is installed during manufacture ofthe nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100, and no spent fuel is everremoved from the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100, which isnever accessed after nuclear fission ignition. However, in some otherembodiments of the nuclear fission reactor 10, additional nuclearfission fuel is added to the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100after nuclear fission ignition. However, in some other embodiments ofthe nuclear fission reactor 10, spent fuel is removed from the reactorcore assembly (and, in some embodiments, removal of spent fuel from thenuclear fission reactor core assembly 100 may be performed while thenuclear fission reactor 10 is operating at power). Regardless of whetheror not spent fuel is removed, pre-expansion of the as-loaded fuelpermits higher-density actinides to be replaced with lower-densityfission products without any overall volume changes in fuel elements, asthe nuclear fission deflagration wave sweeps over any given axialelement of actinide ‘fuel,’ converting it into fission-product ‘ash.’

Launching of nuclear fission deflagration waves into Th²³² or U²³⁸fuel-charges is readily accomplished with ‘nuclear fission ignitermodules’ enriched in fissile isotopes. Higher enrichments result in morecompact modules, and minimum mass modules may employ moderatorconcentration gradients. In addition, nuclear fission igniter moduledesign may be determined in part by non-technical considerations, suchas resistance to materials diversion for military purposes in variousscenarios. Such modules may employ U²³⁵ in U²³⁸, in sufficiently lowconcentration as to be effectively non-detonatable in any quantity orconfiguration—such as ≦20%—in contrast, for example, to technically moreoptimal Pu²³⁹ in Th²³². Quantities of U²³⁵ already excess to militarystockpiles suffice for ≧10⁴ such nuclear fission igniter modules,corresponding to a total inventory of nuclear fission power reactorssufficient to supply 10 billion people with kilowatt-per-capitaelectricity.

While the illustrative nuclear fission igniter of the previouslydescribed embodiments included nuclear fission material configured toinitiate propagation of the burning wavefront, in other approaches, thenuclear fission igniter may include other types of reactivity sources inaddition to or in place of those previously described. For example,nuclear fission igniters may include “burning embers”, e.g., nuclearfission fuel enriched in fissile isotopes via exposure to neutronswithin a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor. Such“burning embers” may function as nuclear fission igniters, despite thepresence of various amounts of fission products “ash”. For example,nuclear fission igniters may include neutron sources using electricallydriven sources of high energy ions (such as protons, deuterons, alphaparticles, or the like) or electrons that may in turn produce neutrons.In one illustrative approach, a particle accelerator, such as a linearaccelerator may be positioned to provide high energy protons to anintermediate material that may in turn provide such neutrons (e.g.,through spallation). In another illustrative approach, a particleaccelerator, such as a linear accelerator may be positioned to providehigh energy electrons to an intermediate material that may in turnprovide such neutrons (e.g., by electro-fission and/or photofission ofhigh-Z elements). Alternatively, other known neutron emissive processesand structures, such as electrically induced fusion approaches, mayprovide neutrons (e.g., 14 Mev neutrons from D-T fusion) that maythereby initiate the propagating fission wave.

Now that nucleonics of the fuel charge and the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave have been discussed, further details regarding“nuclear fission ignition” and maintenance of the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave will be discussed. A centrally-positioned nuclearfission igniter moderately enriched in fissionable material, such asU²³⁵, has a neutron-absorbing material (such as a borohydride) removedfrom it (such as by operator-commanded electrical heating), and thenuclear fission igniter becomes neutronically critical. Local fueltemperature rises to a design set-point and is regulated thereafter bythe local thermostating modules (discussed in detail later). Neutronsfrom the fast fission of U²³⁵ are mostly captured at first on local U²³⁸or Th²³².

It will be appreciated that uranium enrichment of the nuclear fissionigniter may be reduced to levels not much greater than that of lightwater reactor (LWR) fuel by introduction into the nuclear fissionigniter and the fuel region immediately surrounding it of a radialdensity gradient of a refractory moderator, such as graphite. Highmoderator density enables low-enrichment fuel to burn satisfactorily,while decreasing moderator density permits efficient fissile breeding tooccur. Thus, optimum nuclear fission igniter design may involvetrade-offs between proliferation robustness and the minimum latency frominitial criticality to the availability of full-rated-power from thefully-ignited fuel-charge of the core. Lower nuclear fission igniterenrichments entail more breeding generations and thus impose longerlatencies.

The maximum (unregulated) reactivity of the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 slowly decreases in the first phase of the nuclear fissionignition process because, although the total fissile isotope inventoryis increasing monotonically, this total inventory is becoming morespatially dispersed. As a result of choice of initial fuel geometry,fuel enrichment versus position, and fuel density, it may be arrangedfor the maximum reactivity to still be slightly positive at thetime-point at which its minimum value is attained. Soon thereafter, themaximum reactivity begins to increase rapidly toward its greatest value,corresponding to the fissile isotope inventory in the region of breedingsubstantially exceeding that remaining in the nuclear fission igniter. Aquasi-spherical annular shell then provides maximum specific powerproduction. At this point, the fuel-charge of the nuclear fissionreactor core assembly 100 is referred to as “ignited.”

Now that the fuel-charge of the nuclear fission reactor core assembly100 has been “ignited”, propagation of the nuclear fission deflagrationwave, also referred to herein as “nuclear fission burning”, will now bediscussed. The spherically-diverging shell of maximum specific nuclearpower production continues to advance radially from the nuclear fissionigniter toward the outer surface of the fuel charge. When it reachesthis surface, it naturally breaks into two spherical zonal surfaces,with one surface propagating in each of the two opposite directionsalong the axis of the cylinder. At this time-point, the full thermalpower production potential of the core has been developed. This epoch ischaracterized as that of the launching of the two axially-propagatingnuclear fission deflagration wave burnfronts. In some embodiments thecenter of the core's fuel-charge is ignited, thus generating twooppositely-propagating waves. This arrangement doubles the mass andvolume of the core in which power production occurs at any given time,and thus decreases by two-fold the core's peak specific powergeneration, thereby quantitatively minimizing thermal transportchallenges. However, in other embodiments, the core's fuel charge isignited at one end, as desired for a particular application. In otherembodiments, the core's fuel charge may be ignited in multiple sites. Inyet other embodiments, the core's fuel charge is ignited at any 3-Dlocation within the core as desired for a particular application. Insome embodiments, two propagating nuclear fission deflagration waveswill be initiated and propagate away from a nuclear fission ignitionsite, however, depending upon geometry, nuclear fission fuelcomposition, the action of neutron modifying control structures or otherconsiderations, different numbers (e.g., one, three, or more) of nuclearfission deflagration waves may be initiated and propagated. However, forsake of understanding, the discussion herein refers, without limitation,to propagation of two nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfronts.

From this time forward through the break-out of the two waves when theyreach the two opposite ends, the physics of nuclear power generation iseffectively time-stationary in the frame of either wave, as illustratedin FIGS. 1E-1H. The speed of wave advance through the fuel isproportional to the local neutron flux, which in turn is linearlydependent on the thermal power demanded from the nuclear fission reactorcore assembly 100 via the collective action on the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave's neutron budget of the thermostating modules (notshown).

When more power is demanded from the reactor via lower-temperaturecoolant flowing into the core, the temperature of the two ends of thecore (which in some embodiments are closest to the coolant inlets)decreases slightly below the thermostating modules' design set-point, aneutron absorber is thereby withdrawn from the correspondingsub-population of the core's thermostating modules, and the localneutron flux is permitted thereby to increase to bring the local thermalpower production to the level which drives the local materialtemperature up to the set-point of the local thermostating modules.

However, in the two burnfront embodiment this process is not effectivein heating the coolant significantly until its two divided flows moveinto the two nuclear burn-fronts. These two portions of the core'sfuel-charge—which are capable of producing significant levels of nuclearpower when not suppressed by the neutron absorbers of the thermostatingmodules—then act to heat the coolant to the temperature specified by thedesign set-point of their modules, provided that the nuclear fissionfuel temperature does not become excessive (and regardless of thetemperature at which the coolant arrived in the core). The two coolantflows then move through the two sections of already-burned fuelcenterward of the two burnfronts, removing residual nuclear fission andafterheat thermal power from them, both exiting the fuel-charge at itscenter. This arrangement encourages the propagation of the twoburnfronts toward the two ends of the fuel-charge by “trimming” excessneutrons primarily from the trailing edge of each front, as illustratedin FIGS. 1E-1H.

Thus, the core's neutronics may be considered to be substantiallyself-regulated. For example, for cylindrical core embodiments, thecore's nucleonics may be considered to be substantially self-regulatingwhen the fuel density-radius product of the cylindrical core is ≧200gm/cm² (that is, 1-2 mean free paths for neutron-induced fission in acore of typical composition, for a reasonably fast neutron spectrum).The primary function of the neutron reflector in such core designs is todrastically reduce the fast neutron fluence seen by the outer portionsof the reactor, such as its radiation shield, structural supports,thermostating modules and outermost shell. Its incidental influence onthe performance of the core is to improve the breeding efficiency andthe specific power in the outermost portions of the fuel, though thevalue of this is primarily an enhancement of the reactor's economicefficiency. Outlying portions of the fuel-charge are not used at lowoverall energetic efficiency, but have isotopic burn-up levelscomparable to those at the center of the fuel-charge.

Final, irreversible negation of the core's neutronic reactivity may beperformed at any time by injection of neutronic poison into the coolantstream, via either the primary loops which extend to the applicationheat exchangers 16 (FIG. 1A) or the afterheat-dumping loops connectingthe nuclear fission reactor 10 (FIG. 1A) to the heat dump heatexchangers 26 (FIG. 1A). For example, lightly loading the coolant streamwith a material such as BF₃, possibly accompanied by a volatile reducingagent such as H₂ if desired, may deposit metallic boron substantiallyuniformly over the inner walls of the coolant-tubes threading throughthe reactor's core, via exponential acceleration of the otherwise slowchemical reaction 2BF₃+3H₂→2B+6HF by the high temperatures foundtherein. Boron, in turn, is a highly refractory metalloid, and will notmigrate from its site of deposition. Substantially uniform presence ofboron in the core in <100 kg quantities may negate the core's neutronicreactivity for indefinitely prolonged intervals without involving theuse of powered mechanisms in the vicinity of the reactor.

Exemplary Embodiments and Aspects of Reactor Core Assemblies

Exemplary embodiments and aspects of the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 and exemplary nuclear fission fuel charges disposed thereinwill now be discussed.

Referring now to FIG. 1I, the nuclear fission reactor core assembly 100is suitable for use with a fast neutron spectrum nuclear fissionreactor. It will be appreciated that the nuclear fission reactor coreassembly 100 is shown schematically in FIG. 1I. As such, no geometriclimitations are intended regarding shape of the nuclear fission reactorcore assembly 100. As mentioned above, details were discussed forcircular cylinders of natural uranium or thorium metal that may stablypropagate nuclear fission deflagration waves for arbitrarily great axialdistances. However, it is again emphasized that propagation of nuclearfission deflagration waves is not to be construed to be limited tocircular cylinders or to metallic nuclear fission fuels, or to pureuranium or thorium nuclear fission fuel materials. To that end,additional embodiments of alternate geometries of the nuclear fissionreactor core assembly 100 and fuel charges disposed therein will bedescribed later.

A neutron reflector/radiation shield 120 surrounds nuclear fission fuel130. The nuclear fission fuel 130 is fissionable material, that ismaterial appropriate for undergoing fission in a nuclear fissionreactor, examples of which are actinide or transuranic elements. Asdiscussed above, the fissionable material for the nuclear fission fuel130 may include without limitation Th²³² or U²³⁸. However, in otherembodiments discussed below, other fissionable material may be used inthe nuclear fission fuel 130. In some embodiments, the nuclear fissionfuel 130 is contiguous. In other embodiments, the nuclear fission fuel130 is non-contiguous.

A nuclear fission igniter 110 acts within the nuclear fission fuel 130for initiating a nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront (notshown). The nuclear fission igniter 110 is made and operates accordingto principles and details discussed above. Therefore, details ofconstruction and operation of the nuclear fission igniter 110 need notbe repeated for sake of brevity.

Referring now to FIG. 1J, after the nuclear fission fuel 130 (FIG. 1I)has been ignited by the nuclear fission igniter 110 (in a manner asdiscussed above), a propagating burnfront 140 (that is, a propagatingnuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront, as discussed above) isinitiated and propagates throughout the nuclear fission fuel 130 (FIG.1I) a direction shown by an arrow 144. As discussed above, a region 150of maximum reactivity is established around the propagating burnfront140. The propagating burnfront 140 propagates through unburnt nuclearfission fuel 154 in the direction indicated by the arrow 144, leavingbehind the propagating burnfront 140 burnt nuclear fission fuel 160 thatincludes fission products 164, such as isotopes of iodine, cesium,strontium, xenon, and/or barium (and referred to in the discussion aboveas “fission product ash”). In the context of burnt nuclear fission fueland unburnt nuclear fission fuel, the term “burning” (as applied tonuclear fission fuel) means that at least some components of the nuclearfission fuel undergo neutron-mediated nuclear fission. In the context ofpropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfronts, the terms“burning” and “burnt” also mean that at least some components of thenuclear fission fuel undergo “breeding”, whereby neutron absorption isfollowed by multi-second half-life beta-decay transmutation into one ormore fissile isotopes, which then may or may not undergoneutron-mediated nuclear fission.

Thus, the unburnt nuclear fission fuel 154 may be considered a firstneutron environment having a first set of neutron environmentparameters. Similarly, the burnt nuclear fission fuel 160 may beconsidered a second neutron environment having a second set of neutronenvironment parameters that are different than the first set of neutronenvironment parameters. The term “neutron environment” refers to thedetailed neutron distribution, including its variation with respect totime, space, direction, and energy. The neutron environment includes theaggregate of multiple individual neutrons, each of which may occupydifferent locations at different times, and each of which may havedifferent directions of motion and different energies. In somecircumstances, a nuclear environment may be characterized by a reducedsubset of these detailed properties. In one example, a reduced subsetmay include an aggregation of all neutrons within given space, time,direction, and energy ranges of specified time, space, direction, andenergy values. In another example, some or all of the time, space,direction, or energy aggregations may incorporate value-dependentweighting functions. In another example, a reduced subset may includeweighted aggregation over the full range of direction and energy values.In another example, the aggregation over energies may involveenergy-dependent weighting by a specified energy function. Examples ofsuch weighting functions include material and energy-dependentcross-sections, such as those for neutron absorption or fission.

In some embodiments, only the propagating burnfront 140 is originatedand propagated through the unburnt nuclear fission fuel 154. In suchembodiments, the nuclear fission igniter 110 may be located as desired.For example, the nuclear fission igniter 110 may be located toward thecenter of the nuclear fission fuel 130 (FIG. 1I). In other embodiments(not shown) the nuclear fission igniter 110 may be located toward an endof the nuclear fission fuel 130.

In other embodiments, in addition to the propagating burnfront 140, apropagating burnfront 141 is originated and propagated through the otherfuel 154 along a direction indicated by an arrow 145. A region 151 ofmaximum reactivity is established around the obligating burnfront 141.The propagating burnfront 141 leaves behind it the burnt nuclear fissionfuel 160 and the fission products 164. Principles and details oforigination and propagation of the propagating burnfront 141 are thesame as that previously discussed for the propagating burnfront 140.Therefore, details of origination and propagation of the propagatingburnfront 141 need not be provided for sake of brevity.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, a nuclear fission reactor 200, such as a fastneutron spectrum nuclear fission reactor, includes nuclear fission fuelassemblies 210 disposed therein. The following discussion includesdetails of exemplary nuclear fission fuel assemblies 210 that may beused in the nuclear fission reactor 200. Other details regarding thenuclear fission reactor 200, including origination and propagation of anuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront (that is, “burning” thenuclear fission fuel) are similar to those of the nuclear fissionreactor 10 (FIG. 1A), and need not be repeated for sake of brevity.

Referring now to FIG. 2B and given by way of non-limiting example, inone embodiment the nuclear fission fuel assembly 210 suitably includes apreviously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220. The previously burntnuclear fission fuel assembly 220 is clad with cladding 224. Thecladding 224 is the “original” cladding in which the previously burnednuclear fission fuel assembly 220 was clad. The term “previously burnt”means that at least some components of the nuclear fission fuel assemblyhave undergone neutron-mediated nuclear fission and that the isotopiccomposition of the nuclear fission fuel has been modified. That is, thenuclear fission fuel assembly has been put in a neutron spectrum or flux(either fast or slow), at least some components have undergoneneutron-mediated nuclear fission and, as result, the isotopiccomposition of the nuclear fission fuel has been changed. Thus, a burntnuclear fission fuel assembly 220 may have been previously burnt in anyreactor, such as without limitation a light water reactor. It isintended that the previously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220 caninclude without limitation any type of nuclear fissionable materialwhatsoever appropriate for undergoing fission in a nuclear fissionreactor, such as actinide or transuranic elements like natural thorium,natural uranium, enriched uranium, or the like. In some otherembodiments, the previously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220 maynot be clad with “original” cladding 224, but in these embodiments, thepreviously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220 is chemicallyuntreated subsequent to its previous burning in the nuclear fissionreactor 200.

Referring now to FIG. 2C, the previously burnt nuclear fission fuelassembly 220 and its “original” cladding 224 is clad with cladding 230.Thus, the previously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220 is retainedin its original cladding 224, and the cladding 230 is disposed around anexterior of the cladding 224. The cladding 230 can accommodate swelling.For example, when the previously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220was burnt in a light water reactor, the cladding 224 was sufficient tocontain swelling at approximately 3% burn-up of the previously burntnuclear fission fuel assembly 220. In one nonlimiting example, thecladding 230 contacts the cladding 224 at azimuthally, symmetric,cylindrical faces around the cladding 224. Such an arrangement enablesremoval of heat through the contacting faces while allowing at least onehalf of the cladding 224 to expand into void spaces between the cladding224 and the cladding 230.

In some embodiments, the cladding 230 is made up of cladding sections(not shown) that are configured to help accommodate swelling into thevoid spaces, as described above. In other embodiments, the cladding 230may be provided as a barrier, such as a tube, provided between anexterior of the cladding 224 and reactor coolant (not shown).

In some other embodiments, the previously burned nuclear fission fuelassembly 220 is burnt in the nuclear fission reactor 200 as the nuclearfission fuel assembly 210. That is, the previously burnt nuclear fissionfuel assembly 220 may not be clad with the cladding 230. This embodimentenvisions burning the previously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly220, such as one that was burnt in a light water reactor, or in a fastneutron spectrum nuclear fission reactor, or in any other form ofnuclear fission reactor and either (a) tolerating or planning to acceptpossible failure of the cladding 224 due to swell or, (b) burning thepreviously burnt nuclear fission fuel assembly 220 in the fast neutronspectrum nuclear fission reactor 200 to levels significantly less thanisotopic depletion (in which case swelling may be of acceptablemagnitude).

Referring now to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, alternate nuclear fissionfuel geometries of nuclear fission fuel structures 310, 320, 330, and340, respectively, are discussed. Each of the nuclear fission fuelstructures 310, 320, 330, and 340 includes a nuclear fission igniter300, and a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave 302 ispropagated in a direction indicated by an arrow 304.

In a spherical nuclear fission fuel structure 310 (FIG. 3A), the nuclearfission igniter 300 is disposed toward a center of the spherical nuclearfission fuel structure 310. The propagating burnfront 302 propagatesradially outward from the nuclear fission igniter 300, as indicated bythe arrows 304.

In a parallelepiped nuclear fission fuel structure 320, the nuclearfission igniter 300 is disposed as desired. As discussed above, twopropagating burnfronts 302 may be originated and propagated toward endsof the parallelepiped nuclear fission fuel structure 320 alongdirections indicated by the arrows 304. Alternately, the nuclear fissionigniter 300 may be disposed toward an end of the parallelepiped nuclearfission fuel structure 320, in which case one propagating burnfront 302is originated and propagates toward the other end of the parallelepipednuclear fission fuel structure 320 along the direction indicated by thearrow 304.

In a toroidal nuclear fission fuel structure 330 (FIG. 3C), the nuclearfission igniter 300 is disposed as desired. Two propagating burnfronts302 may be originated and propagated away from the nuclear fissionigniter 300 and toward each other along directions indicated by thearrows 304. In such a case, the toroidal nuclear fission fuel structure330 may be considered to be “burnt” when the propagating burnfronts 302meet, and propagation of the propagating burnfront 302 may stop.Alternately, only one propagating burnfront 302 is originated andpropagates around the toroidal nuclear fission fuel structure 330 alongthe direction indicated by the arrow 304. In such a case, the toroidalnuclear fission fuel structure 330 may be considered to be “burnt” whenthe propagating burnfront 302 returns to the site of the nuclear fissionigniter 300, and propagation of the propagating burnfront 302 may stopor may be re-started.

In another embodiment, the propagating burnfront 302 is “restarted” dueto the removal or decay of fission products during the burnfront'spropagation around the toroid. In another embodiment, the propagatingburnfront 302 is “restarted” due to control of neutron modifyingstructures, as discussed later. In another embodiment, the toroidalnuclear fission fuel structure 330 is not a “geometric” toroid, but a“logical” toroid, with a more general reentrant structure.

As mentioned above, nuclear fission deflagration propagating waveburnfronts can be initiated and propagated in nuclear fission fuelshaving any shape as desired. For example, in an irregularly-shapednuclear fission fuel structure 340, the nuclear fission igniter 300 canbe located as desired. Propagating burnfronts 302 are initiated andpropagate along directions indicated by the arrows 304 as desired for aparticular application.

In one approach, thermal management may be adjusted to provide thermalcontrol appropriate for any changes in operational parameters, such asrevised neutronic action of the previously burnt or modified nuclearfission fuel or other parameter changes, that may result from removal ofash, addition of fuels, or from other parameters of re-burning.

In these exemplary geometries, the nuclear fission ignitor 300 may beany of the varieties of nuclear fission ignitor previously discussed.The indicated nuclear fission ignitor 300 is the site at which nuclearfission ignition occurs, but for some embodiments (e.g., electricalneutron sources) additional components of the nuclear fission ignitormay exist, and may reside in different physical locations.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a nuclear fission fuel structure 400 includes anuclear fission igniter 410 and non-contiguous segments 420 of nuclearfission fuel material. The behavior of a nuclear fission deflagrationwave with non-contiguous segments 420 of nuclear fission fuel materialis similar to that previously discussed for contiguous nuclear fissionfuel material; it is crucial only that the non-continguous segments 420be in “neutronic” contact, not physical contact.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a modular nuclear fission fuel core 500includes a neutron reflector/radiation shield 510 and modular nuclearfission fuel assemblies 520. The modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies520 are placed as desired within the fuel assembly receptacles 530.

The modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 may be operated in any numberof ways. For example, all of the fuel assembly receptacles 530 in themodular nuclear fission fuel core 500 may be fully populated withmodular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 520 prior to initial operation(e.g., prior to initial origination and propagation of a nuclear fissiondeflagration propagating wave burnfront within and through the modularnuclear fission fuel assemblies 520).

As another example, after a nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfronthas completely propagated through modular nuclear fission fuelassemblies 520, such “burnt” modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 520may be removed from their respective fuel assembly receptacles 530 andreplaced with unused modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 540, asdesired; this emplacement is indicated by the arrow 544. A nuclearfission deflagration wave burnfront can be initiated in the unusedmodular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 540, thereby enabling continuedor extended operation of the modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 asdesired.

As another example, the modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 need notbe fully populated with modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 520prior to initial operation. For example, less than all of the fuelassembly receptacles 530 can be populated with modular nuclear fissionfuel assemblies 520. In such a case, the number of modular nuclearfission fuel assemblies 520 that are placed within the modular nuclearfission fuel core 500 can be determined based upon power demand, such aselectrical loading in watts, that will be placed upon the modularnuclear fission fuel core 500. A nuclear fission deflagration waveburnfront is originated and propagated through the modular nuclearfission fuel assemblies 520 as previously described.

In one approach, thermal management may be adjusted to provide thermalcontrol appropriate to maintain the inserted fuel assembly receptacles530 at appropriate temperatures.

As another example, the modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 again neednot be fully populated with modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 520prior to initial operation. The number of modular nuclear fission fuelassemblies 520 provided may be determined based upon a number of modularnuclear fission fuel assemblies 520 that are available or for otherreasons. A nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront is originated andpropagates through the modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 520. Asthe nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront approaches unpopulatedfuel assembly receptacles 530, the unpopulated fuel assembly receptacles530 can be populated with modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies 520,such as on a “just-in-time” basis; this emplacement is indicated by thearrow 544. Thus, continued or extended operation of the modular nuclearfission fuel core 500 can be enabled without initially fueling theentire modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 with modular nuclearfission fuel assemblies 520.

It will be appreciated that the concept of modularity can be extended.For example, in other embodiments, a modular nuclear fission reactor canbe populated with any number of nuclear fission reactor cores in thesame manner that the modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 can bepopulated with any number of modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies520. To that end, the modular nuclear fission reactor can be analogizedto the modular nuclear fission fuel core 500 and nuclear fission reactorcores can be analogized to the modular nuclear fission fuel assemblies520. The several contemplated modes of operation discussed above for themodular nuclear fission fuel core 500 thus apply by analogy to a modularnuclear fission reactor.

Applications of modular designs are shown in FIGS. 6A-6C. Referring toFIG. 6A, a nuclear fission facility 600 includes a fast neutron spectrumnuclear fission core assembly 610 that is operationally coupled to anoperational sub system 620 (such as without limitation an electricalpower generating facility) via a core-subsystem coupling 630 (such aswithout limitation a reactor coolant system such as a primary loop and,if desired, a secondary loop including a steam generator).

Referring now to FIG. 6B, another fast neutron spectrum nuclear fissioncore assembly 610 may be emplaced within the nuclear fission facility600. The additional fast neutron spectrum nuclear fission core assembly610 is operationally coupled to another operational sub system 620 byanother core-subsystem coupling 630. The operational sub system's 620are coupled to each other via a subsystem-subsystem coupling 640. Asubsystem-subsystem coupling 640 can provide prime mover or other energytransfer medium between the operational sub systems 620. To that end,energy produced by any one of the nuclear core assemblies 610 can betransferred to any operational sub system 620 as desired.

Referring now to FIG. 6C, a third fast neutron spectrum nuclear fissioncore assembly 610, and associated operational sub system 620, andcore-subsystem coupling 630 have been placed in the nuclear fissionfacility 600. Again, as described above, energy produced by any one ofthe fast neutron spectrum nuclear fission core assemblies 610 can betransferred to any operational sub system 620 as desired. In otherembodiments, this linking process can be more general than discussedabove, so that, the nuclear fission facility 600 may consist of a numberN of fast neutron spectrum nuclear fission core assemblies 610, and asame or different number M of operational subsystems 620.

It will be appreciated, that the individual nuclear fast neutronspectrum nuclear fission core assemblies 610 need not be identical toeach other, nor need the operational sub systems 620 be identical toeach other. Similarly, the core-subsystem couplings 630 need not beidentical to each other, nor do the subsystem-subsystem couplings 640need be identical to each other. In addition to the operational subsystem 620 embodiment discussed above, other embodiments of operationalsub system 620 include, without limitation, reactor coolant systems,electrical nuclear fission ignitors, afterlife heat-dumps, reactor sitefacilities (such as basing and security), and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 7, heat energy can be extracted from a nuclearfission reactor core according to another embodiment. In a nuclearfission reactor 700, a nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront isinitiated and propagated in a burning wavefront heat generating region720, in a manner as described above. Heat absorbing material 710, suchas a condensed phase density fluid (e.g., water, liquid metals,terphenyls, polyphenyls, fluorocarbons, FLIBE (2LiF—BeF2) and the like)flows through the region 720 as indicated by an arrow 750, and heat istransferred from the propagating burnfront fission to the heat absorbingmaterial 710. In some fast fission spectrum nuclear reactors, the heatabsorbing material 710 is chosen to be a nuclear inert material (such asHe4) so as to minimally perturb the neutron spectrum. In someembodiments of the nuclear fission reactor 700, the neutron content issufficiently robust, so that a non-nuclear-inert heat absorbing material710 may be acceptably utilized. The heat absorbing material 710 flows toa heat extraction region 730 that is substantially out of thermalcontact with the burning wavefront heat generating region 720. Theenergy 740 is extracted from the heat absorbing material 710 at the heatextraction region 730. The heat absorbing material 710 can reside ineither a liquid state, a multiphase state, or a substantially gaseousstate upon extraction of the heat energy 740 in the heat extractionregion 730.

Referring now to FIG. 8, in some embodiments a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave burnfront can be driven into areas of nuclear fissionfuel as desired, thereby enabling a variable nuclear fission fuelburn-up. In a propagating burnfront nuclear fission reactor 800, anuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 810 is initiated andpropagated as described above. Actively controllable neutron modifyingstructures 830 can direct or move the burnfront 810 in directionsindicated by areas 820. In one embodiment, the actively controllableneutron modifying structures 830 insert neutron absorbers, such aswithout limitation Li6, B10, or Gd, into nuclear fission fuel behind theburnfront 810, thereby driving down or lowering neutronic reactivity offuel that is presently being burned by the burnfront 810 relative toneutronic reactivity of fuel ahead of the burnfront 810, therebyspeeding up the propagation rate of the nuclear fission deflagrationwave. In another embodiment, the actively controllable neutron modifyingstructures 830 insert neutron absorbers into nuclear fission fuel aheadof the burnfront 810, thereby slowing down the propagation of thenuclear fission deflagration wave. In other embodiments the activelycontrollable neutron modifying structures 830 insert neutron absorbersinto nuclear fission fuel within or to the side of the burnfront 810,thereby changing the effective size of the burnfront 810.

In another embodiment, the actively controllable neutron modifyingstructures 830 insert neutron moderators, such as without limitationhydrocarbons or Li7, thereby modifying the neutron energy spectrum, andthereby changing the neutronic reactivity of nuclear fission fuel thatis presently being burned by the burnfront 810 relative to neutronicreactivity of nuclear fission fuel ahead of or behind the burnfront 810.In some situations, an effect of the neutron moderators is associatedwith detailed changes in the neutron energy spectrum (e.g., hitting ormissing cross-section resonances), while in other cases the effects areassociated with lowering the mean neutron energy of the neutronenvironment (e.g., downshifting from “fast” neutron energies toepithermal or thermal neutron energies). In yet other situations, aneffect of the neutron moderators is to deflect neutrons to or away fromselected locations. In some embodiments, one of the aforementionedeffects of neutron moderators is of primary importance, while in otherembodiments, multiple effects are of comparable design significance. Inanother embodiment, the actively controllable neutron modifyingstructures 830 contain both neutron absorbers and neutron moderators; inone nonlimiting example, the location of neutron absorbing materialrelative to that of neutron moderating material is changed to affectcontrol (e.g., by masking or unmasking absorbers, or byspectral-shifting to increase or decrease the absorption of absorbers),in another nonlimiting example, control is affected by changing theamounts of neutron absorbing material and/or neutron moderatingmaterial.

The burnfront 810 can be directed as desired according to selectedpropagation parameters. For example, propagation parameters can includea propagation direction or orientation of the burnfront 810, apropagation rate of the burnfront 810, power demand parameters such theheat generation density, cross-sectional dimensions of a burning regionthrough which the burnfront 810 is to the propagated (such as an axialor lateral dimension of the burning region relative to an axis ofpropagation of the burnfront 810), or the like. For example, thepropagation parameters may be selected so as to control the spatial ortemporal location of the burnfront 810, so as to avoid failed ormalfunctioning control elements (e.g., neutron modifying structures orthermostats), or the like.

Referring now to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a nuclear fission reactor can becontrolled with programmable thermostats, thereby enabling thetemperature of the reactor's fuel-charge to be varied over timeresponsive to changes in operating parameters.

Temperature profiles 940 are determined as a function of positionthrough a fuel-charge of a nuclear fission reactor 900. An operatingtemperature profile 942 of operating temperatures throughout the nuclearfission reactor 900 is established responsive to a first set ofoperating parameters, such as predicted power draw, thermal creep ofstructural materials, etc. At other times, or in other circumstances,the operating parameters may be revised. To that end, a revisedoperating temperature profile 944 of revised operating temperaturesthroughout the nuclear fission reactor 900 is established.

The nuclear fission reactor 900 includes programmable temperatureresponsive neutron modifying structures 930. The programmabletemperature responsive neutron modifying structures 930 (an example ofwhich is described in detail later) introduce and remove neutronabsorbing or neutron moderating material into and from the fuel-chargeof a nuclear fission reactor 900. A nuclear fission deflagration waveburnfront 910 is initiated and propagated in a fuel-charge of thenuclear fission reactor 900. Responsive to the revised operatingtemperature profile 944, the programmable temperature responsive neutronmodifying structures 930 introduce neutron absorbing or moderatingmaterial into the fuel-charge of the nuclear fission reactor 900 tolower operating temperature in the nuclear fission reactor 900 or removeneutron absorbing or moderating material from the fuel-charge of thenuclear fission reactor 900 in order to raise operating temperature ofthe nuclear fission reactor 900.

It will be appreciated, that operating temperature profiles are only oneexample of control parameters which can be used to determine the controlsettings of programmable temperature responsive neutron modifyingstructures 930, which are in such cases responsive to the selectedcontrol parameters, not necessarily to the temperature. Nonlimitingexamples of other control parameters which can be used to determine thecontrol settings of programmable temperature responsive neutronmodifying structures 930 include power levels, neutron levels, neutronspectrum, neutron absorption, fuel burnup levels, and the like. In oneexample, the neutron modifying structures 930 are used to control fuelburnup levels to relatively low (e.g., <50%) levels in order to achievehigh-rate “breeding” of nuclear fission fuel for use in other nuclearfission reactors, or to enhance suitability of the burnt nuclear fissionfuel for subsequent re-propagation of a nuclear fission deflagrationwave in a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor.Different control parameters can be used at different times, or indifferent portions of the reactor. It will be appreciated that thevarious neutron modifying methods discussed previously in the context ofneutron modifying structures can also be utilized in programmabletemperature responsive neutron modifying structures 930, includingwithout limitation, the use of neutron absorbers, neutron moderators,combinations of neutron absorbers and/or neutron moderators, variablegeometry neutron modifiers, and the like.

According to other embodiments and referring now to FIGS. 10A and 10B,material can be nuclearly processed. As shown in FIG. 10A, nuclearlyprocessable material 1020 (that has a set of non-irradiated properties)is placed in a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor1000. A nuclear fission deflagration wave propagating burnfront 1030 isoriginated and propagated along a direction indicated by arrows 1040 asdescribed above. The material 1020 is placed in neutronic coupling witha region of maximized reactivity 1010, that is the material is neutronirradiated, as the nuclear fission deflagration wave propagatingburnfront 1030 propagates through or in the vicinity of the material1020, thereby irradiating the material 1020 and conferring upon thematerial 1020 a desired set of modified properties.

In one embodiment, the neutron irradiation of material 1020 may becontrolled by the duration and/or extent of the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave propagating burnfront 1030. In another embodiment, theneutron irradiation of material 1020 may be controlled by control of theneutron environment (e.g., the neutron energy spectrum for Np237processing) via neutron modifying structures. In another embodiment, thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1000 may beoperated in a “safe” sub-critical manner, relying upon an externalsource of neutrons to sustain the propagating burnfront 1030, whileusing a portion of the fission-generated neutrons for nuclear processingof the material 1020. In some embodiments, the material 1020 may bepresent before nuclear fission ignition occurs within the propagatingnuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1000, while in otherembodiments the material 1020 may be added after nuclear fissionignition. In some embodiments, the material 1020 is removed from thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1000, while inother embodiments it remains in place.

Alternately and as shown in FIG. 10B, a nuclear fission deflagrationwave propagating burnfront 1030 is initiated and propagated in apropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1000 along adirection indicated by arrows 1040. Material 1050 having a set ofnon-irradiated properties is loaded into the propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wave reactor 1000. As indicated generally at 1052, thematerial 1050 in transported into physical proximity and neutroniccoupling with a region of maximized reactivity as the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave propagating burnfront 1030 passes through the material1050. The material 1050 remains in neutronic coupling for a sufficienttime interval to convert the material 1050 into material 1056 having adesired set of modified properties. Upon the material 1050 having thusbeen converted into the material 1056, the material 1056 may bephysically transported out of the reactor 1000 as generally indicated at1054. The removal 1054 can take place either during operation of thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1000 or afterwardit has been “shut-off”, and can be performed in either a continuous,sequential, or batch process. In one example, the nuclearly processedmaterial 1056 may be subsequently used as nuclear fission fuel inanother nuclear fission reactor, such as without limitation LWRs orpropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactors. In anothernonlimiting example, the nuclearly processed material 1056 may besubsequently used within the nuclear fission ignitor of a propagatingnuclear fission deflagration wave reactor. In one approach, thermalmanagement may be adjusted to provide thermal control appropriate forany changes in operational parameters, as appropriate for the revisedmaterials or structures.

According to further embodiments, temperature-driven neutron absorptioncan be used to control a nuclear fission reactor, thereby“engineering-in” an inherently-stable negative temperature coefficientof reactivity (α_(T)). Referring now to FIG. 11A, a nuclear fissionreactor 1100 is instrumented with temperature detectors 1110, such aswithout limitation thermocouples. In this embodiment the nuclear fissionreactor 1100 suitably can be any type of fission reactor whatsoever. Tothat end, the nuclear fission reactor 1100 can be a thermal neutronspectrum nuclear fission reactor or a fast neutron spectrum nuclearfission reactor, as desired for a particular application.

The temperature detectors detect local temperature in the nuclearfission reactor 1100 and generate a signal 1114 indicative of a detectedlocal temperature. The signal 1114 is transmitted to a control system1120 in any acceptable manner, such as without limitation, fluidcoupling, electrical coupling, optical coupling, radiofrequencytransmission, acoustic coupling, magnetic coupling, or the like.

Responsive to the signal 1114 indicative of the detected localtemperature, the control system 1120 determines an appropriatecorrection (positive or negative) to local neutronic reactivity in thenuclear fission reactor 1100 to return the nuclear fission reactor 1100to desired operating parameters (such as desired local temperatures forfull reactor power). To that end, the control system 1120 generates acontrol signal 1124 indicative of a desired correction to localneutronic reactivity.

The control signal 1124 is transmitted to a dispenser 1130 of neutronabsorbing material. The signal 1124 suitably is transmitted in the samemanner as the signal 1114. The neutron absorbing material suitably isany neutron absorbing material as desired for a particular application,such as without limitation Li6, B10, or Gd. The dispenser 1130 suitablyis any reservoir and dispensing mechanism acceptable for a desiredapplication, and may, for example, have the reservoir located remotely(e.g., outside the neutron reflector of the nuclear fission reactor1100) from the dispensing mechanism 1130. The dispenser 1130 dispensesthe neutron absorbing material within the nuclear fission reactor coreresponsive to the control signal 1124, thereby altering the localneutronic reactivity.

Referring now to FIG. 11B and given by way of non-limiting example,exemplary thermal control may be established with a neutron absorbingfluid. A thermally coupled fluid containing structure 1140 contains afluid in thermal communication with a local region of the nuclearfission reactor 1100. The fluid in the structure 1140 expands orcontracts responsive to local temperature fluctuations. Expansion and/orcontraction of the fluid is operatively communicated to a force couplingstructure 1150, such as without limitation a piston, located external tothe nuclear fission reactor 1100. A resultant force communicated by theforce coupling structure 1150 is exerted on neutron absorbing fluid in aneutron absorbing fluid containing structure 1160. The neutron absorbingfluid is dispensed accordingly from the structure 1160, thereby alteringthe local neutronic reactivity. In another example, a neutron moderatingfluid may be used instead of, or in addition to, the neutron absorbingfluid. The neutron moderating fluid changes the neutron energy spectrumand lowers the mean neutron energy of the local neutron environment,thereby driving down or lowering neutronic reactivity of nuclear fissionfuel within the nuclear fission reactor 1100. In another example, theneutron absorbing fluid and/or the neutron modifying fluid may have amultiple phase composition (e.g., solid pellets within a liquid).

FIG. 11C illustrates details of an exemplary implementation of thearrangement shown in FIG. 11B. Referring now to FIG. 11C, fuel powerdensity in a nuclear fission reactor 1100′ is continuously regulated bythe collective action of a distributed set of independently-actingthermostating modules, over very large variations in neutron flux,significant variations in neutron spectrum, large changes in fuelcomposition and order-of-magnitude changes in power demand on thereactor. This action provides a large negative temperature coefficientof reactivity just above the design-temperature of the nuclear fissionreactor 1100′.

Located throughout the fuel-charge in the nuclear fission reactor 1100′in a 3-D lattice (which can form either a uniform or a non-uniformarray) whose local spacing is roughly a mean free path of amedian-energy-for-fission neutron (or may be reduced for redundancypurposes), each of these modules includes a pair of compartments 1140′and 1160′, each one of which is fed by a capillary tube. The smallthermostat-bulb compartment 1160′ located in the nuclear fission fuelcontains a thermally sensitive material, such as without limitation,Li⁷, whose neutron absorption cross-section may be low for neutronenergies of interest, while the relatively large compartment 1140′positioned in a different location (e.g., on the wall of a coolant tube)may contain variable amounts of a neutron absorbing material, such aswithout limitation, Li⁶, which has a comparatively large neutronabsorption cross-section. Lithium melts at 453 K and 1-bar-boils at 1615K, and therefore is a liquid across typical operating temperature rangesof the nuclear fission reactor 1100′. As the fuel temperature rises, thethermally sensitive material contained in the thermostat-bulb 1160′expands, and a small fraction of it is expelled (approximately 10⁻³, fora 100K temperature change in Li⁷), potentially under kilobar pressure,into the capillary tube which terminates on the bottom of acylinder-and-piston assembly 1150′ located remotely (e.g., outside ofthe radiation shield) and physically lower than the neutron absorbingmaterial's intra-core compartment 1140′ (in the event that gravitationalforces are to be utilized). There the modest volume of high-pressurethermally sensitive material drives a swept-volume-multiplying piston inthe assembly 1150′ which pushes a potentially three order-of-magnitudelarger volume of neutron absorbing material through a core-threadingcapillary tube into an intra-core compartment proximate to thethermostat-bulb which is driving the flow. There the neutron absorbingmaterial, whose spatial configuration is immaterial as long as itssmallest dimension is less than a neutron mean free path, acts toabsorptively depress the local neutron flux, thereby reducing the localfuel power density. When the local fuel temperature drops, neutronabsorbing material returns to the cylinder-and-piston assembly 1150′(e.g., under action of a gravitational pressure-head), thereby returningthe thermally sensitive material to the thermostat-bulb 1160′ whosenow-lower thermomechanical pressure permits it to be received.

It will be appreciated that operation of thermostating modules does notrely upon the specific fluids (Li6 and Li7) discussed in the aboveexemplary implementation. In one exemplary embodiment, the thermallysensitive material may be chemically, not just isotopically, differentfrom the neutron absorbing material. In another exemplary embodiment,the thermally sensitive material may be isotopically the same as theneutron absorbing material, with the differential neutron absorbingproperties due to a difference in volume of neutronically exposedmaterial, not a difference in material composition.

Referring now to FIG. 12, in another embodiment a propagating nuclearfission deflagration wave reactor 1200 operates at core temperaturessignificantly lower than core temperatures of nuclear fission reactorsof other embodiments. While nuclear fission reactors of otherembodiments may operate at core temperatures in the order of around1,000K or so, (e.g., to enhance electrical power conversion efficiency)the propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1200 operatesat core temperatures of less than around 550K, and some embodimentsoperate at core temperatures of between around 400K and around 500K.Reactor coolant 1210 transfers heat from nuclear fission in thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1200. In turnthermal energy 1220 is transferred from the reactor coolant 1210 to athermally driven application. Given by way of non-limiting examples,exemplary thermally driven applications include desalinating seawater,processing biomass into ethanol, space-heating, and the like. In anotherembodiment, a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1200may operate at core temperatures above 550K, and utilize thermal energy1220 from the reactor coolant 1210 for thermally driven applicationsinstead of or in addition to, electrical power generation applications.Given by way of non-limiting examples, exemplary thermally drivenapplications include thermolysis of water, thermal hydrocarbonprocessing, and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 13, in another embodiment nuclear fission fuel canbe removed after it has been burned. A nuclear fission deflagration wavepropagating burnfront 1310 is initiated and propagated in a modularnuclear fission reactor core 1300 along a direction indicated by arrows1320 toward modules 1340 of nuclear fission fuel material, therebyestablishing a region 1330 of maximized reactivity as discussed above.As discussed above, the modules 1340 of nuclear fission fuel materialmay be considered “burnt” after the propagating burnfront 1310 haspropagated the region 1330 of maximized reactivity through the module1340 of nuclear fission fuel material. That is, the modules 1340 ofnuclear fission fuel material “behind” the region 1330 of maximizedreactivity may be considered “burnt”. Any desired number of the “burnt”modules 1340 of nuclear fission fuel material (behind the region 1330 ofmaximized reactivity) are removed, as generally indicated at 1350. Asgenerally indicated at 1360, nuclear fission fuel material has beenremoved from the nuclear fission reactor core 1300.

Referring now to FIGS. 14A and 14B, according to other embodimentsnuclear fission fuel can be re-burned in place without reprocessing. Asshown in FIG. 14A, a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wavereactor 1400 includes regions 1410 and 1420. A nuclear fissiondeflagration wave burnfront 1430 is initiated and propagated through theregion 1410 toward the region 1420. The nuclear fission deflagrationwave burnfront 1430 propagates through the region 1420 as a nuclearfission deflagration wave burnfront 1440. After the nuclear fissiondeflagration wave burnfront 1440 propagates into region 1420, and eitherbefore or after it reaches an end of the propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wave reactor 1400, the nuclear fission deflagration waveburnfront 1440 is redirected or re-initiated and retraces a path ofpropagation away from the end of the propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wave reactor 1400 back toward the region 1410. The nuclearfission deflagration wave burnfront 1440 propagates through the region1410 as a nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 1450 away from theregion 1420 toward an end of the propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wave reactor 1400. The nuclear fission fuel in regions 1410and 1420 is different during the repropagation of nuclear fissiondeflagration wave burnfronts 1440 and 1450 than it was during theprevious propagation of nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfronts1430 and 1440, due to changes in the amounts of fissile isotopes and theamounts of fission product “ash”. The neutron environment may differduring propagation and repropagation due to the above differences in thenuclear fission fuel, as well as other factors, such as withoutlimitation, possible changes in the control of neutron modifyingstructures, thermal heat extraction levels, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 14B (and as briefly mentioned in reference to FIG. 3C),the geometry of an embodiment of the propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wave reactor 1400 forms a closed loop, such as anapproximately toroidal shape. In this exemplary embodiment, thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor 1400 includes theregions 1410 and 1420 and a third region 1460 different from the regions1410 and 1420. The nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 1430 isinitiated and propagated through the region 1410 toward the region 1420.The nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 1430 propagates throughthe region 1420 as the nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 1440.The nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 1440 propagates throughthe region 1460 as a nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront 1470.

When the nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfronts 1430, 1440, and1470 have propagated completely through the regions 1410, 1420, and1460, respectively, nuclear fission fuel material in the regions 1410,1420, and 1460 can be considered “burnt”. After the nuclear fission fuelmaterial has been burnt, the nuclear fission deflagration wave burnfront1430 is re-initiated and propagates through the region 1410 as a nuclearfission deflagration wave burnfront 1450. The re-initiation in region1410 may occur without limitation, through the action of a nuclearfission igniter, such as discussed earlier, or may occur as a result ofthe decay and/or removal of nuclear fission products from the nuclearfission fuel material in region 1410, or may occur as the result ofother sources of neutrons or fissile material, or may occur due tocontrol of neutron modifying structures, as discussed previously.

In another exemplary embodiment, the nuclear fission deflagration wavemay potentially propagate in a plurality of directions. One or morepropagation paths may be established, and may thereafter split into oneor more separate propagation paths. The splitting of propagation pathsmay be accomplished without limitation by such methods as theconfiguration of the nuclear fission fuel material, the action ofneutron modifying structures as discussed earlier, or the like.Propagation paths may be distinct, or may be reentrant. Nuclear fissionfuel material may be burnt once, never, or multiple times. Repropagationof a nuclear fission deflagration wave multiple times through a regionof nuclear fission fuel material may involve either the same or adifferent propagation direction.

While some of the embodiments described previously illustrate nuclearfission fuel cores of substantially constant chemical and/or isotropicmaterials, in some approaches nuclear fission fuel cores of nonuniformmaterial may be used. For example, in some approaches nuclear fissionfuel cores may include regions having different percentages of uraniumand thorium. In other approaches, nuclear fission fuel cores may includeregions of different actinide or transuranic isotopes, such as withoutlimitation different isotopes of thorium or different isotopes ofuranium. In addition, mixtures of such different combinations may alsobe appropriate. For example, mixtures of thorium and of differenturanium isotope ratios may provide different burning rates,temperatures, propagation features, localization, or other features. Inother approaches, the nuclear fission fuel cores may include mixtures of“breedable” isotopes (such as Th232 or U238) along with otherfissionable actinide or transuranic elements, such as withoutlimitation, uranium, plutonium, americium, or the like. Additionally,such variations in chemicals, isotopes, cross sections, densities, orother aspects of the fuel or may vary radially, axially or in a varietyof other spatial manners. For example, such variations may be definedaccording to anticipated variations in energy demand, aging, or otheranticipated variations. In one aspect, where growth of energy demand ina region would be reasonably anticipated, it may be useful to define thefuel or materials to correlate to an expected increased demand of theregion.

In still another aspect, such variations may be implemented according toother approaches described herein. For example, the variations may bedefined after initiation of burning using the modular approach isdescribed herein or the multipath approaches described herein. In otherapproaches, movement of portions of the material may produce theappropriate material concentrations, positioning, ratios, or othercharacteristics.

While the embodiments above have illustrated propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wavefronts in fixed or variable fuel cores, in one aspect,propagating nuclear fission deflagration wavefronts may remainsubstantially spatially fixed while the fuel core or portions of thefuel core move relative to the wavefront. In one such approach, movementof the nuclear fission fuel core to maintain substantially localizedpositioning of the propagating nuclear fission deflagration wavefrontcan stabilize, optimize, or otherwise control thermal coupling to acooling or heat transfer system. Or, in another aspect, controlledpositioning of the propagating nuclear fission deflagration wavefront byphysically displacing the nuclear fission fuel can simplify or reduceconstraints upon other aspects of the nuclear fission reactor, such asthe cooling system, neutron shielding, or other aspects of neutrondensity control.

While a number of exemplary embodiments and aspects have beenillustrated and discussed above, those of skill in the art willrecognize certain modifications, permutations, additions, andsub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the followingappended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted toinclude all such modifications, permutations, additions, andsub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.

1. A method of operating a propagating nuclear fission deflagration wavereactor, the method comprising: initiating a nuclear fissiondeflagration wave with a first nuclear igniter; propagating apropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave through a first region ofa nuclear fission deflagration wave reactor to a second region of thenuclear fission deflagration wave reactor, the first region beingcontiguous with the second region, each one of the first and secondregions configured to be critical independent of the other of the firstand second regions; propagating the propagating nuclear fissiondeflagration wave through the second region; and after propagating thenuclear fission deflagration wave through the second region,re-propagating the propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave throughthe first region.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein re-propagating thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave includes re-initiating thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave with a second igniter. 3.The method of claim 1, wherein re-propagating the propagating nuclearfission deflagration wave includes at least one of decaying and removingfission products from the first region.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein re-propagating the propagating nuclear fission deflagration waveincludes providing at least one of neutrons and fissile material to thefirst region.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein re-propagating thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave includes controllingneutron modifying structures.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein: thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave remains substantiallyspatially fixed; and the first and second regions are moved relative tothe propagating nuclear fission deflagration wave.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein: the first and second regions are stationary; and thepropagating nuclear fission deflagration wave propagates through thefirst and second regions.